Collapsible ballqt box



June 12, 1928. 1,673,769

c.c.eRAHAM COLLAPS IBLE BALLOT BOX Filed May 9, 1927 314mm W01:

0. G. GRAHAM Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES-"PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. GRAHAM, F CRETE, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR TO ELIZABETH J. DOUGEAQ,

or CRETE,

NEBRASKA.

COLLAPSIBLE BALLOT ox.

Application filed ma 9,

My invention relates to foldable or collapsible metal containers and it is especially intended to provide an article'of this kind adapted for receiving ballots as commonly cast by voters in municipal and other elec tions. It is the object of my invention to provide a metal ballot box which may be collapsed or folded to a very compact form,

to occupy a minimum of space, and which when" extended for use is strong, rigid, capable of being securely locked against unauthorized opening and substantially incapable of being tampered with as for removal of ballots therefrom. A further object of my invention is the provision of a deviceof the foregoing character which is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction, in which-the various parts are standardized to a considerable extent, whereby the ballot 0 box may be economically manufactured.

Having in view these objects and others which will be pointed out in the following description, I will now refer to the drawings, inwhich n Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my ballot box as it appears when in use.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same ballot box as it appears when folded or collapsed. c j

Figure 3 is a view in perspective showing the positions-of the various parts of [the ballot box when the ballot box is partly collapsed. i i

Figure 4 is a view in section of the lid or upper side of the ballot box and showing the closure for the slot through which the ballots are passed. I

In its extended or set-up form, thejbox provided by my invention is substantially cubical in form, having six rectangular sides arranged inoppositely disposed parallel and similar pairs. The front and rear sides are identical, the right and left sides are identical and the; top and bottom sides differ from each other only in the provision'of aslot and ahandle for the top side.

The front and rear sides of the ballot box are each formed from integral metal plates 10 having inwardly extending flanges at their sides and at one end. The end flange 11 is at the top of the front side and at the bottom ofthe rear side 10.. The inwardly directed side flanges of the members 10 are 1927. Serial No. 189,912.

each provided with a plurality of inwardly curved tongues at 12. The right and left hand side members are each formed of two plates having a hinge on the median vertical line and each being hinged at its vertical edges to a front or rear platelO. The plates 13 are identical in size and form and each is provided on its inner edge with outwardly curled tongues through which a pintle may be passed for holding thetwo plates 13 of each pair together in pivotal relation whereby the two plates may be folded inwardly. At their outer edges the plates 13 are provided with inwardly curled tongues for engaging the tongues 12 to form hinges. It will be obvious that the front and rear sides and the right and left hand sides when assembled in this manner may be folded together about the hinges 12 and 14 sothat the four plates 13 will beparallel with and between the two plates 10 and thatthey will "substantially fill the space betweenthe two plates 10 when these sides are folded together.

The top and bottom members are substantially alike. Each is hinged to a plate 10 through a connector plate. The bottom 15 is provided with connector plate 16 which is hinged on one of its edges to the'front plate 10 and at its other edge to the bottom 16.

These hingesare formed by providing in wardly curled tongues on both edges of the connector plate 16 which cooperate with similar inwardly curled tongues on the front plate 10 and the bottom'plate 15. The connector plateshave a width which is substantially equal t'othe thickness of the folded ,plates 1.0 and 13. When in use, theconthe lateral sides of the folded package. The

bottom plate is further provided with upwardly projecting flanges 17 on its right. left and rear edges. These flanges engage the outer surfaces of the plates 13 and of the rear plate 10. For preventing inward collapsing of the ballot box,the bottom and top plates are each provided with inwardly projecting ribs 18 as best shown in Figure 3, the ribs being adapted to engage the inbox is set up.

fo'ldable thereon. The ballot box may thus be locked "by means of Padlocks 2.1 for securing the bottom and top sides against unauthorized opening. v

As before stated the top side of the "ballot box differs from the bottom side in the provision of the ballot slot 22 and the handle 23/ Thehandle conveniently positioned foruse when the ballot box is set up 01 whenit is folded and it is placed so that the weight of the ballot box and its contents is balanced on the handle. The slot the usual slot of sufficient size to permit or theintroduction of the ballots. For making, it impossible to gain access to the ballots through the'slot 22 after they have once been placed in the ballot box, I provide a pivoted closure 24 as best shown in Figures '3'and 4. This closure consists of a narrow steel platewhich is bent into angle form and which is pivotally secured to the top on .the underside thereof and adjacent the slot 22. This closure may be weightedin any desired manner at asb lengthening the portion remote from the s 0t or by bending its edge over. The opposite portion of the closure 25 will ofcourse rest against the underside of the plate 10 to completely close the slot 22 and it will be held in this position by gravity. The ballots may, of course,

be forced past this closure because the closure has a slight amount of pivotal movement but as soon as the ballot has passed the closure, the weight 25 will immediately draw the closure into closing position, and the amount of opening afforded. by the closure is so small that it is impossible for the ballots to be shaken out or otherwise removed through the slot.

It isvirtually impossible to remove the ballots from the ballot box except by opening either the top or the bottom or by the destruction of the ballot box. The hinges at the four vertical corners as Well as the horizontal hinges at the. edges of the connector plates 16, all havepintles whose ends lie entirely Within the ballot box as shown in Figure 1. These pintles of course, cannot be removed unless the top or bottom member is" moved to its opening position. The pintles of the hinges connecting the two parts of each side member are outside the ballot box but these pintles are provided with heads which prevent their withdrawal. These aintles are moreover protected by the inwar'clly'directed flanges 17 which serve as abutments against their removal in the closed ballot box.

Attention is called particularly tothe de' gree of standardization in the construction of the various parts of the ballot box. The front and rear members are identical in construction even to the location of the loops for the hasps. This is equally true of the side plates 13 which are all interchangeable. Likewise thetop and bottom plates are identical in all respects except for the addition of the slot, slot closure and handle to the top plate. This standardization affects great economy in reducing the number of dies requiredfor making the various plates and in cutting down the labor costs in the various forming operations and in the assemblin of the parts into the form of ballot boxes.

Having thus described my invention in such full,- clear, and exact terms that its construction and operation will be readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it pertains, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of th iUnit d States is:

1. A collapsible metal ballot box comprising front and back body plates, pairs of sidepla-tes hinged together in a plane intermediate the front and back front and back plates at opposite edges thereof,top and bottom members eachco'mprising a main plate and a connector plate, said connector plate bein edge to' the main plate an at t e op site edge hinged to one of the body-p ates, flanges projecting inwardly from the side edges and from one of the end edges 'ofsalid necting to the bod plates the respectively arlljacent edges of t e top and bottom main ates. p 2. A collapsible metal ballot box'comprising front and back body plates, side-plates hinged together in a p aim intermediate the front and back plates, each pair of the side-plates being hinged atthe front and-rear edges thereof'to the front and plates, each pair of .the side-plates being hinged to both the bin ed at one main plate, and means for detachably conback plates respectively, top and bottom members each comprislng a main plate and a connectorplate, said connector plate being hinged at one edge to-the main late, the connector" plate of the top mom 1 being hinged to one of the body plates an dithe connector plate of' the bottom member being hinged to the other body plate, means for detachably connecting to the bed plates the respectively adjacent edges of t e to and bottom main plates, means on the ateral edges of the top and bottom main plates embrracing the respedtively adjacent edge portions of the side-plates, and means on an end edge of said top and bottom main plates respectively overlying one of the end plates at its edge.

3. A collapsible metal ballot box comprising rectangular front and back plates each having integral hinge members at the side edges thereof, side member each consisting of a pair of plates hinged to each other at adjoining edges and having at their opposite edges hinge members pivotally connected with the hinge members at the side edges of the front and back plates, top and bottom plates having double flange members at their sides adapted to straddle the upper and. lower edges of the side members and hold in alinement the hinge connected pairs of plates which form said side members, means for connecting said top and bottom plates with the respectively adjacent edge portions ofthe front and back plates, said ballot box being provided with a ballot slot, and a gravity controlled closure for the slot.

4. A collapsible metal ballot box comprising a foldable body portion consisting of rigid front and back members and two piece inwardly foldable side members hinged to the lateral edges of the front and back members and connecting the same for folding movement in parallel planes toward and from each other, top and. bottom members pivotailly connected respectively with the upper and lower edge portions of the back and front members of the foldable body portion, means on said top and bottom members for holding the foldable side members in extended position, means releasable fnom the outside of said box for securing said top and bottom members to said front and back members respectively.

5. A collapsible metal ballot box comprising rectangular marginally flanged front and back plates, side members hinged at their front and rear edges to the side flanges of the front and rear plates, said side members each consisting of a pair of binge connected parts whereby to fold bookwise along a line intermediate their front and rear edges and when folded to lie within the marginal flanges of the front and back plates as the latter are brought together, top and bottom main plates rovided at their lateral edges with means or engaging the side members and holding the same in extended position, said top and bottom main plates adapted to nest respectively on, the front and. back plates in the collapsed form of the box, con nector plates hinged to the top and bottom plates and to the rear and front plates respectively and adapted to extend across the edges of the folded members in the collapsed form of the box, said ballot box being provided with a ballot slot, and a gravity controlled closure for the slot.

In. testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES C. GRAHAM- 

